Combination lock switch



July 26, 1949. c. M.'WAITE COMBINATION LOCK, SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 9, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

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COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH Filed July 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJuly 2' 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCK SWITCHClarence M. Waite, Greenbush, Mass.

Application July 9, 1948, Serial No. 37,937

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-43) This invention relates to a novel and improvedcombination lock switch, especially although not exclusively, forautomobile ignition systems, the primary object of the invention beingto provide a simplified and more serviceable device of this kind whichis reliable and easy in operation, and offers substantial protectionagainst unauthorized operation of the automobile or the like.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a deviceof the above indicated character which is suitable either to replaceentirely the usual key-operated automobile ignition switch or tosupplement the same in such a way that with the combination lock switchin circuit closing position, the key-operated switch may be operatedwith its key in the usual way.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein, merely for purposes of illustration, a specific embodiment ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 2--2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line dfi of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the contact masking wheel.

Figure 6 is a. side elevation of one of the plunger actuated wheels.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the contact masking half-wheel and,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of one of the plunger actuated half-wheels.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 9 generally designatesthe casing of the illustrated device, in the form of an elongated,substantially square, cross section box, open at its top and providedwith a cover l0 riveted in place on a fiange H, as indicated at H. Thecasing 9 is adapted to be securely mounted under the instrument panel orother suitable location in the event of use in an automobile. Theopposite endwalls l3 and M of the casing have vertically spaced socketsl5, is serving as journals for the ends of parallel vertically spacedupper and lower shafts I7 and i3 located in the same vertical plane.

A return spring for returning the upper shaft casing sidewall 20 at 2|and terminating in a helix 22 coiled tightly around the shaft at theright hand end thereof and secured thereto. A similar return spring 23fixed on the casing sidewall 20 at 24 is provided for the left hand endof the lower shaft l8. On corresponding ends of these shafts are fixedratchet wheels 25 and 26, having over-riding downwardly spring-pressedratchet dogs 21 and 28, respectively, hinged on the casing sidewall 20,whereby the upper and lower shafts are limited to rotation in onedirection, in this instance the clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure3.

Mounted through the cover Ill at equally spaced longitudinal intervalsis a plurality of plunger buttons, in this instance, six such buttons,designated l, 2, 3, l, 5 and 5, from left to right. Each plungerconsists of a button head 30 fixed to the upper end of a rod 3!extending slidably through an opening in the cover In and through aguide tube 32 fixed to the inner side of the cover, with a helicalspring 34 expanded between the cover It and the head 30 and normallyretracting the plunger to starting or retracted position.

As shown in Figure 2, the rod of button I reaches downwardly as far asthe lower shaft l8, the rods of buttons 2 and 3 reach only to the uppershaft II, the rod of button 4 reaches the lower shaft l8, the rod ofbutton 5 reaches only to the upper shaft II, while the rod of button 6reaches to the lower shaft i8.

Fixed in appropriate position along the upper shaft II for operation bythe rods of buttons 2, 3, and 5 are half-wheels 3'5, 36 and 31,respectively, each consisting, as shown in Figure 8, of a semicirculardisk 38 having on one side a substantially diametrical lug 39 forengagement by the lower end of the related plunger rod. As shown inFigure 3, the lugs 39 are horizontal for engagement by the lower ends ofthe related rods 3| when the half-wheels are in starting position. Tothe left of the plungers the upper shaft I'I has fixed thereon a maskinghalf-wheel G0, devoid H to starting position after operation thereof isin the form of a spring wire I! fixed to the of a lug but formed'with ahole ii therethrough near and midway the ends of its peripheral edge, asshown in Figure 7.

Fixed on the lower shaft i8 to the left of and alongside of the maskinghalf-wheel 43, is a masking wheel 42, formed, as shown in Figure 5 witha single hole as near its peripheral edge, in position to come intoaxial alignment with the hole 4| in the masking half-wheel an in amanner and for purposes hereinafter pointed out.

Fixed on the lower shaft '3 in proper position under the buttons l, 4,and 6 are wheels 45, I8,

and 41, respectively, which have, as shown in Figure 6, diametrical lugs48 on one side thereof, to be engaged by the lower ends of the relatedplunger rods 3i. As indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the lugs 48 of thewheels 45, 45 and 4'! are displaced in position with respect to eachother at intervals of 45 degrees in the starting position of the device,the ing 48 of wheel 45 being horizontal, the lug of wheel 46 beingvertical, and the lug 48 of wheel 41 being angulated between these twopositions.

Wires 58, 5t from the ignition circuit (not shown) can enter the casingthrough a grommet 52 in the casing wall 20 to connect with a pair ofinsulated spring contactor arms 53, 54 extending into the casing withtheir facing contacts 55, 55 positioned substantially in the same planeas and between the upper and lower shafts I1, l8, and in line with theposition which the holes 4| and 43 in the contact masking disks 40 and42, respectively, occupy when axially aligned. The contactor arms 53, 54are normally spaced apart, and require to be brought together with theircontacts 55, 55 in engagement, to close the ignition circuit.

Means for this purpose comprises a screw 51 threaded through a bushing58 on the casing end wall l3 in axial alignment with the alignedposition of the masking wheel holes 4i and 43. The end of the screw 51outside of the casing 9 has an operating knob 59. The ignition circuitis closed by turning the screw 51 into the casing to pass through thealigned holes 4! and 43 in the masking disks until the screw engages thenear contactor arm 53 and moves it over into engagement with the othercontactor arm 53, and broken when the screw 51 is withdrawn from thecontactor arm 53. The device is free to be operated by depressing theplunger heads 30 upon withdrawal of the screw 51 from the masking wheelholes BI and 43, to the position shown in Figure 2.

The screw 51 has projecting radially therefrom between the masking wheel42 and the ratchet dog 28 an L-shaped arm 51' which, when the screw 51is moved to and somewhat beyond withdrawn inoperative position, movesunder the ratchet dog 28 so as to raise the same from the ratchet wheel26 and thereby permit the spring 23 to return the shaft i8 to thestarting position, from which it was moved by operation of the correctcombination of buttons l84, to bring the hole 43 of masking wheel 42into alignment with the screw 51.

In the positions of the parts shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, thecombination effective to permit closing of the described lock switch isl6--4, that is depression of buttons 8, 6 and 4 in that order, isrequired to align the masking wheel holes 4| and 43 to permit eifectiveinward movement of the screw 51.

Should any of the other buttons 2, 3 or 5 be depressed the upper shaftl1 will be given a oneeighth revolution which will put the hole 4| inmasking wheel 40 out of alignment with the hole 43 in masking wheel 42and prevent effective inward movement of the bolt 51. The only way inwhich the upper shaft l1 can then be returned to starting position is bythe use of a key 60 passed through a guide tube 6| on the casing sidewall, by means of which the dog 21 of the ratchet wheel 25 can bereleased from the wheel 25 so as to permit the return spring I 9 toreturn the shaft l1 to starting position.

From the foregoing it will be evident that only by depressing thecorrect combination of buttons can the switch mechanism be closed toclose the circuit associated therewith, and that the only way in whichthe device can be restored to operable condition after the buttons havebeen depressed in a wrong combination is through the use of the key 60to release the upper shaft ratchet dog 21. Therefore, without possessionof the key 60 and knowledge of the correct combination, the devicecannot be operated and the circuit associated with the device cannot beclosed and the automobile operated and/or stolen by an unauthorizedperson.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination lock switch comprising a casing, a pair of opposed,normally spaced insulated contact arms projecting in said casing, anaxially movable closing element extending through said casing andarranged to be moved inwardly therein to engage one of said contact armsand press the same into electrical engagement with the other contact armto close a circuit therethrough, a pair of axially rotatable shaftsmounted in said casing, each shaft having a masking disk thereonprovided with an eccentric hole to pass said axially movable element toenable said element to be moved from an inoperative retracted positionto an inward position in operative engagement with said one contact armonly while said holes are aligned, eccentric cams spaced along each ofsaid shafts, spring retracted plungers arranged on said casing to beselectively depressed to engage said eccentric cams to rotate at leastone of said shafts into and out of positions in which the holes in themasking disks are aligned, and ratchet means engaged with said shafts toretain said shafts against counter rotation after rotation produced bydepression and release of selected ones of said plungers.

2. A combination lock switch comprising a casing, a pair of opposed,normally spaced insulated contact arms projecting in said casing, anaxially movable closing element extending through said casing andarranged to be moved inwardly therein to engage one of said contact armsand press the same into electrical engagement with the other contact armto close a circuit therethrough, a pair of axially rotatable shaftsmounted in said casing, each shaft having a masking disk thereonprovided with an eccentric hole to pass said axially movable element toenable said element to be moved from an inoperative retracted positionto an inward position in operative engagement with said one contact armonly while said holes are aligned, eccentric cams spaced along each ofsaid shafts, spring retracted plungers arranged on said casing to beselectively depressed to engage said eccentric cams to rotate at leastone of said shafts into and out of positions in which the holes in themasking disks are aligned, and ratchet means engaged with said shafts toretain said shafts against counter rotation after rotation produced bydepression and release of selected ones of said plungers, return springmeans for returning said shafts to starting position after rotationproduced by operation of selected plungers, and releasing means forreleasing said ratchet means to permit operation of said return springmeans.

3. A combination lock switch comprising a casing, a pair of opposednormally spaced insulated contact arms projecting in said casing, anaxially movable closing element extending through said casing andarranged to be moved inwardly therein to engage one of said contact armsand press the same into electrical engagement with the other contact armto close a circuit therethrough. a pair of axially rotatable shaftsmounted in said casing, each shaft having a masking disk thereonprovided with an eccentric hole to pass said aafially movable element toenable said element to be moved from an inoperative retracted positionto an inward position in operative engagement with said one contact armonly while said holes are aligned, eccentric-cams spaced along each ofsaid shafts, spring retracted plungers arranged on said casing to beselectively depressed to engage said eccentriccams to rotate at leastone of said shafts into and out of positions in which the holes in themasking disks are aligned, and ratchet means engaged with said shafts toretain said shafts against counter rotation after rotation produced bydepression and release of selected ones of said plungers, return springmeans for returning said shafts to starting position after rotationproduced by operation of selected plungers, and releasing means forreleasingsaid ratchet means to permit operation of said return springmeans, said releasing means comprising a member on said axially movablemember for releasing the ratchet means related to one shaft and a keyinsertible through an opening provided in saidcasing for releasing theratchet means related .to the other shaft.

Williamson Apr. 29, 1924

